Academy School, London:
Survey-Led School Roof Refurbishment
12 Weeks
2,000 m²
TESTING THE NEED FOR A
FULL ROOF REPLACEMENT
Our client, one of the country's leading education property consultants, manages property portfolios for schools, academies, colleges and universities. One of its clients is a multi-academy trust serving families in inner-city London, and Starfish Construction had already delivered several successful projects with the consultant's property managers.
Before committing to the brief as written, we tested whether a full strip was really needed.
The surveyor's brief covered the flat roofs over the main assembly hall and the Science and Technical blocks, and asked for a strip and replacement of the entire roof system. Following our Diagnose, Design, Deliver approach, we assessed the roofs in full before recommending a solution.
Taking Time to Understand the Roof
We carried out a drone survey and a moisture mapping assessment across the roof areas. Together, they gave the client a clear picture of the condition of the existing roof and where moisture was present.
Moisture mapping gave the client critical insight before any roofing material was removed.
The results showed that the existing roof could stay in place beneath a new built-up overlay system, avoiding the full strip set out in the original brief.
Our Expertise
We upgraded the roof insulation to meet current U-values and identified that the roofs had no lightning protection system, which was installed as part of the works.
Overlaying the existing roof, rather than stripping it, significantly reduced the material sent to landfill.
Some parts of the 2,000 m² roof area were difficult to reach and would have made it hard to lay felt securely. In those areas, including the plant area, we combined a fully built-up felt roofing system with a liquid-applied membrane, a hybrid approach we have used successfully on many projects. Find out more about our roofing systems and materials.
Delivering Safely During Term Time
The works were carried out during term time while the school buildings were in use, so we put additional safety measures in place to make sure no debris could fall from the roof onto the school grounds.
Through close liaison with the school, we delivered a seamless and safe project while the buildings stayed in use.
The layout of the buildings left very little space for working and storing materials, and several roof areas were hard to reach. Our existing relationship with the client and careful access planning helped us work within these constraints.
PROJECT SUMMARY
